Of Time and Life
by Marie.Stone
Summary: At age 34, Uchiha Sasuke was an architect and father. But with his daughter's sickness progressing, he sought out one of the best doctors of the century, his high school sweetheart Haruno Sakura. Read as Sakura rekindles past friendships, struggles to hold onto current ones, and fights against time in order to save the daughter of a man in some of her most cherished memories.
1. Chapter 1

Out of all her years in her profession, Haruno Sakura never expected to see well-known architect_ Uchiha Sasuke_ at her door of her office. Regardless of how messy he looked, Sakura couldn't help but note that he had grown into a devilishly handsome man. How long had it been since she last seen him? Fifteen years? That seemed about right. They had graduated sixteen years ago, and managed to stay in touch for a little under a year afterwards. Then they lost connection and went on with their lives, completing college, establishing a career, and both becoming experts in their fields.

"Sasuke," she said with a smile. "Come in, come in!"

Said Uchiha nodded and closed the door behind him before taking a seat in front of the mahogany desk that nearly took up a fourth of the room.

"I must admit, this is quite a surprise. And I must also admit that there's not that much that can actually surprise me." She giggled. "What can I do for you?" she then asked. Sasuke arched an eyebrow, causing Sakura to give him a knowing look. "C'mon Sasuke, it may have been fifteen years but I highly doubt you've developed a habit of spontaneously showing up at your high school sweetheart's office. You've got an objective, so enlighten me."

Sasuke couldn't help but feel nostalgic at how easily she could read him. Fifteen fucking years later and she _still_ could read him like an open book before he could even say something as simple as a 'hello'. She had always been overly intuitive; it was one of the many reasons why they worked out so well in high school. He wasn't one for talking, and her intuitive nature allowed her to know exactly what was going on without him saying much.

Quickly dismissing the nostalgia, Sasuke inhaled deeply, immediately noticing Sakura's change in demeanor. He knew she picked up that this was a serious matter.

"I need your help, Sakura."

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto had been sitting in the waiting room for the past 45 minutes. She should have listened to her father and brought a book or something to keep her busy, but no, she thought this would be like any other visit: short.

'_I could have been finding out if Elizabeth told Darcy to shove it, damnit.'_ She annoyingly thought. Just what made this visit different from the others?

Suddenly, as Mikoto's thoughts wandered, she started getting very nervous. _'What if…what if the doctor can hel—'_ "Mikoto."

Said girl looked to her right, completely startled. Her father was walking towards her with a woman (_'a very pretty woman'_, she thought). The woman had short pink hair and bright green eyes. She looked familiar, but Mikoto couldn't exactly place where she could have possibly seen the woman before.

"Dad!" she exclaimed before hopping up and running to him. She wrapped an arm around his waist and smiled up at him. He smirked in return and placed his own hand on her shoulder.

"Mikoto," he said to her. "This is Dr.—" "Hello!" Mikoto interrupted. She stuck out her hand towards Sakura for a shake. "Uchiha Mikoto, nice to meet you!"

Sakura couldn't help but smile. _This_ was Sasuke's daughter. Talkative, social, full of smiles…the complete opposite of her father when he was her age.

"Hello," Sakura kindly replied, kneeling to Mikoto's level and taking her hand. "I am Dr. Haruno Sakura. Your father was just telling me all about you."

"Is your hair natural?"

"Mikoto!"

Sakura laughed wholeheartedly, causing both Uchiha's to cock an eyebrow.

"What's so funny, Haruno-san?" Mikoto asked. Sakura shook her head, allowing the two to dismiss whatever she found amusing.

"Oh, it's nothing, Miko-chan-uh," Sakura paused, recomposing herself. "I apologize, that was unprofessional of me."

"Nonsense, Haruno-san! Naruto-oji and Hinata-oba call me Miko-chan all the time!"

"Naruto?" Sakura asked, taking her attention to Sasuke. "You're still in contact with Naruto?" Sasuke nodded. "And Hinata? They got married?"

"About three years after high school."

Sakura smiled and said nothing. Hinata had been madly in love with Naruto since elementary school. They didn't start dating until junior year of high school and Sakura was certain that they would marry in the future. It was just a shame that she missed the wedding.

"Well then!" Sakura said, not allowing her thoughts to stray even further. "I suppose I've got some work to start, so if you don't mind me, I must be going. I'll be keeping in touch with you, Sasuke, Mikoto. Have a nice day and if anything comes up…" Sakura pulled out a business card and pen from her doctor's coat and proceeded to write down a separate set of digits. "do not hesitate to call my personal mobile." She handed the card to Sasuke, gave one final smile to Mikoto and turned to leave.

"She's pretty, dad." Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked at his daughter.

"Don't even think about it, Mikoto." The only response Sasuke received was laughter. The Uchiha father rolled his eyes once more before smirking. "C'mon," he said. "let's go get some lunch."

* * *

**Author's Note: I was inspired to write this as I was writing the next chapter to my other story. Like it? Hate it? Let me know with a simple review, please! Thanks!**

**- Stone.**


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura slumped in her chair as she read the file in her hands. She wasn't entirely sure why she agreed to help Sasuke. It just came naturally. But after he left, she couldn't help but feel like she set herself up for failure. The chance of success was…unlikely.

"Lymphangioleiomyomatosis…" Sakura said aloud, now staring at the ceiling. It was a rare lung disease where abnormal, muscle-like cells begin to grow out of control in the lungs, lymph nodes, and/or kidneys. The cells can destroy the normal lung tissue. As a result, air can't move freely in and out of the lungs and in some cases, the lungs can't supply the body's other organs with enough oxygen. In short, LAM causes slow respiratory failure and those who have it will die a slow and painful death of suffocation.

Sakura couldn't imagine how it must be to have LAM…what it must be like to breathe but still not have enough oxygen. She suddenly became thankful that she had a pair of fully functional lungs that allowed her to breathe.

But Mikoto… She was a special case. Diagnosed at birth, Mikoto is quite literally like any other. No one has ever been diagnosed with LAM at birth, but sure enough, the cells were present since her birth, keeping her in the hospital for the first two years of her life.

It was inherited from her birth mother, doctors were able to pin-point, but the progression of the disease seemed to grow in spurts. Mikoto's LAM cells would cease to generate for periods of time and suddenly, like a growth spurt, they grew and spread throughout her lungs like wildfire, placing her in the hospital and undergoing surgery to remove as many as lung cysts as possible. So far, Mikoto has undergone eight surgeries, her most recent one being just ten months ago. But looking at the rate of size, Sakura could tell that Mikoto's lungs couldn't take much more. She had limited time.

_Very_ limited time.

* * *

"God, dad, it's so damn _hot_ over here. How can Dr. Haruno stand it?"

"She adjusted to it, moron."

Mikoto pouted and stuck her tongue out at her father, earning a chuckle. After the two left Suna General Hospital, they began walking down the street to find a place to eat lunch. Sasuke couldn't help but regret that he didn't ask Sakura her recommendation for a restaurant. She knew his preference of food.

"How about that place, dad?" Mikoto asked while pointing to a nice little pub across the street. Fed up with walking in the heat, Sasuke nodded, grabbed Mikoto's hand before crossing the street. "Daaaaaad," she complained while ripping her hand out. "honestly, I'm twelve, not four. I don't need to hold hands to cross the street." Sasuke glanced at his daughter before shaking his head.

"Fine, fine." He said. Within a few more steps, Sasuke noticed Mikoto got strangely quiet and stared at the sidewalk. He then felt a hand gently take his and smirked. Regardless of how mature Mikoto insisted that she was, she was still very young at heart. And Sasuke wouldn't put it any other way.

"Have I ever met Dr. Haruno before today?" Mikoto asked as she and her father seated themselves in a booth.

"No," Sasuke replied. "But she's one of the brightest doctors of our time. So you may have seen her in a magazine or something."

"No, if I saw her in a magazine, I would have bombarded you to take us to see her." Mikoto said absently. She was so adamant on figuring out where she had seen Dr. Haruno Sakura before. She _knows_ she had seen the pink haired doctor before…she just couldn't figure out where.

Sasuke watched as his daughter was deep in thought. She didn't even notice the waitress come and take their orders. Not that it mattered; Mikoto was a finicky eater, much like him, and would simply want a hamburger, (no cheese, no mayonnaise, no mustard, no lettuce, no onion, no ketchup, and only tomato) with a side of fries. He chose a club sandwich (minus the cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, and anything else that wasn't the deli meat and tomatoes) and a side of fries. The waitress, a bit taken back at their order, merely nodded and asked if they would be having dessert today. Sasuke, who was not entirely fond of desserts, asked that a cheesecake slice be brought to his daughter after she finished her meal.

"OH!" Mikoto suddenly let out, completely enlightened, after the waitress left. "I remember where I saw her! She's in your high school year book! I remember seeing her in your high school year book!"

Sasuke gave a questioning look. His high school year book was away in some box in the attic of their house. Even _he_ didn't know the exact whereabouts. He had packed it away many years ago and hasn't taken it out since. It had been in the attic, gathering dust. Which means Mikoto went up the attic…

"What have I told you about going up the attic?" he asked, in a slight scolding tone. Upon realization, Mikoto slapped her forehead. _'Good,'_ Sasuke thought. _'keeps me from doing it.'_

At the age of eight, Mikoto had wondered around the house and found herself in the attic. She was bored and had never been there before (due to her dad telling her not to go up there). But since he wasn't home and she was just _so bored_, she went up…and got herself locked in.

Mikoto had failed to secure the latch that would keep the latter down and door open. So once she got in, the latter retracted and the door closed. She had been stuck in there for several hours, crying out of fear of never being found. But once her father got home, she screamed out for him (a bit dramatically, thinking back on it now), causing Sasuke to freak out and search for her like a mad man in the house. Once she was found, she balled her eyes out for ten minutes and Sasuke told her she shouldn't be going up there, _especially_ when no one is home. All Mikoto could do was nod and allow her father to hold her in his lap (something she only allowed when she was upset).

Unfortunately, Sasuke's warning didn't stick for long. Mikoto often found herself going back up to the attic and even built a special door stopper to keep the door from closing all the way. She slowly transformed the attic into her secret getaway and spent many hours in there whenever left home alone. And, much to her glee, Sasuke knew absolutely nothing about it.

"You shouldn't be going up there, Mikoto." He told her as their food was placed in front of them. Said Uchiha sighed and nodded, wanting to dismiss the subject as quickly as possible. Seriously, if dad found out about his daughter's secret getaway in the one place he told her not to go, who knows what he would do. Especially since her sickness was getting progressively worse, he was even _more_ protective and didn't like Mikoto spending that much time alone. Sasuke often took Mikoto with him to whatever he had to do, not that she completely minded, she enjoyed her father's work and found delight in going with him. Especially when Sasuke worked with Naruto (which was a lot) because Hinata would tag along and take her and do something.

"I'll control myself!" she happily told him. It wasn't a lie (something she would _never _do), but it seemed to suit her father's need of a promise. "So," she said. "the year book. You went to high school with Haruno-san?" Sasuke nodded.

"We've known each other since primary and had the same classes throughout the rest of our school years. She turned out to be valedictorian."

"But I thought you were valedictorian?"

"I was salutatorian, the second ranking."

"Were you two good friends?" Mikoto then asked. Sasuke didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure how she would react is he told her that he and Sakura actually dating all throughout high school. They never talked about his past relationship. Hell, they didn't talk about _any _relationships. Did Mikoto even know any boys? She was twelve. That was around the age that he had starting liking Sakura more than a friend. And Mikoto had friends at the hospital, friends her age...

Suddenly Sasuke couldn't help but want to call Konoha Memorial Hospital and interrogate the nurses and demand the names of the other patients Mikoto's age. If any of them were boys, he would give them a piece of his mind.

"Dad?" Mikoto called, bringing Sasuke out of his mental tangent.

"Sorry, what?" he replied. Mikoto stared at him, wondering what he was thinking about. He wasn't one for getting lost in his thoughts, at least, not around her. He _always_ paid attention.

"Dr. Haruno and you… were you two good friends?" she asked again. Sasuke nodded.

"We stayed close friends until we graduated. Then we just…drifted apart."

"How come?"

"Why the sudden curiosity?" Sasuke countered. Mikoto shrugged.

"You've never talked about your high school years."

"You never asked."

"I am now." Sasuke smirked at the young girls retort. She had wit, something he didn't know if she inherited from him, or her mother.

"She and I went to different universities. I was accepted and guaranteed full-paid tuition at Oto University over in Ta, which is not that far from Konoha. Dr. Haruno was accepted and guaranteed full-paid tuition at Suna University over in Kaze, which is _very_ far from Konoha, and even farther from Ta no Kuni. So distance played a huge factor and we eventually just lost connection."

"Plus you met mom!" Mikoto happily added. Sasuke nodded.

"And I met your mother."

* * *

"_Sup Forehead."_

"Shut up Pig. You'll never guess what just happened to me today."

"_Ooooh, got some gossip? Spill girl, spill those juicy deets!"_

"Not over the phone. You busy? I'm due for a nice long lunch. I haven't eaten _all_ day and I'm starving right now."

"_FOREHEAD! DAMNIT, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU THAT YOU __**NEED**__ TO EAT! SERIOUSLY, ONE DAY WITHOUT ME AND YOU'RE STARVING YOURSELF. GIRL, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU?!"_

"Love me, feed me, never leave me."

"_Whatever Garfield. Meet at the usual place?"_

"You bet!"

"_You're buying!"_

"Then you're buying tomorrow's lunch!"

"'_Course!"_

Sakura hung up her office phone and took off her doctor's coat, placing it on her desk, before grabbing her purse and heading out of her office.

Ino was going to _flip_ when she tells her about Sasuke coming to her for help. It was for an unfortunate reason, but it was still such an honor. He actually _sought her out_ for help, when he could easily call up any doctor in the world and request for help. But he _chose her_. Sakura smiled. Sasuke's choices showed that even though it had been fifteen years…

He still trusted her.

* * *

**Author's Note: Boom. There's this chapter. Hope you liked it! **

**Review please, good and/or bad!**

**- Stone.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright Forehead, spill."

"Jeez Pig, can't we place our order first? I'm starving?"

Yamanaka Ino rolled her eyes at her best friend. They were regulars at Sand Storm pub; they didn't place orders. They ordered the same thing every time they came here. All the employees knew who they were so once they entered, it was only a matter of minutes before their meal was placed before them. Sakura was just—

"Stalling, eh?" Ino said, completing her train of thought vocally. "This means what you've got is _good_. Now hurry up and spill! You know how I hate waiting."

"Fine!" Sakura said, giving up. She _was_ stalling, but only because she had absolutely no idea how to start talking about the subject. "So I'm at my desk, looking over some paperwork for a patient's surgery and I get a call from a front desk saying that there was someone who needed to speak to me. I asked who it was and I was told that it was a surprise." Sakura pauses and thanks the waitress (Matsuri) as she place down their order of food. Once gone, Sakura takes a bite of her pesto pasta. "Of course, I thought it was Gaara," she continued. "surprising me with lunch or something, but no actually. It was none other than-" "OH MY GOD, SASUKE?!"

Sakura whipped her head around only to see Uchiha Sasuke and his daughter stopped mid-step at the exit of the pub. She smiled at the two as they decided to approach them.

"Hello Haruno-san!" Mikoto happily greeted before jumping a hug to Sakura. Sakura, completely caught off guard at Mikoto's friendliness, laughed and returned the hug before taking her attention to Sasuke.

"Funny running into you here." she commented. Sasuke smirked and nodded. He then looked at Ino, who was in awe at the familiarity between the three before her.

"Hello, Ino." He told her. Truth be told, Sasuke wasn't surprised Ino was with Sakura in Suna. They had been best friends since primary school (maybe even before, he wasn't sure) and so he figured that losing connection was out of the question. They were practically sisters. He had learned that when he had his first major conflict with Sakura during high school.

**Flashback:**

"**Alright, Uchiha, **_**spill**_**."**

"**Fuck off Yamanaka."**

**At that moment, it took every bit of will power Ino had **_**not**_** to go ape shit on the arrogant ass in front of her. She was there for Sakura (without the pinkette knowing) and she was going to sort out this crap before it escalated and forced their group of friends to choose sides.**

"**Tell me what happened between you and Sakura."**

"**Why the hell should I tell **_**you **_**anything? Why don't you go talk to your so-called best frie—" "You don't get it, do you? I **_**can't**_** talk to Sakura. She doesn't know what I'm doing. She'd **_**kill**_** me if she found out I was here. Nonetheless, here I am, because her aunt called me saying that she was home breaking every goddamn dish in the kitchen all while cursing your existence. So tell me now before I tell all your damn fangirls that you and Sakura **_**broke up **_**this afternoon and you can deal with their fanatic obsession with you come tomorrow morning."**

"**Goddamnit Ino, go talk to fucking Kiba. I don't have time for this sh—" "Kiba?" Ino asked. Sasuke glared at her interruption.**

"**What Kiba got to do with any of—**_**OOOOH"**_

**Sasuke watched as Ino finally understood the situation. He couldn't help but get even **_**more**_** upset at that fact that she knew what he was talking about the moment he mentioned the Inuzuka. This meant that she knew, and didn't say a single thing.**

'_**Whatever.'**_** Sasuke thought. **_**'Fuck Kiba. Fuck Ino. Fuck Sakura. I'm fucking done.'**_

**The Uchiha had other things to worry about. Like the upcoming baseball game and the fact was soon going to be short a first baseman. There was no way he wasn't going to deal with a double-timing ass-hat by the name of Inuzuka Kiba on his team. The moment he was on the field, Sasuke was going to kick him off the team before kicking his ass.**

"…**t, you know that?"**

"**What?" Sasuke replied. He hadn't heard a single word Ino had told him. He was too busy envisioning himself beating the shit out of Kiba.**

**Ino rolled her eyes. She didn't have **_**time **_**for this drama. She had to hurry up and get back to cheer practice and teach the girls the newest routine.**

"**YOU. ARE. AN. IDIOT." Ino repeated. "You really think Sakura was cheating on you? And with **_**Kiba**_** of all people? C'mon Sasuke, you and I both know she's crazy about you and would never do such a thing."**

"**Then why the fuck has she been spending all that time with him **_**behind my back**_**?"**

"**Because, you arrogant ass, she's tutoring him in physics. Kurenai-sensei personally asked her to tutor him so he could get a passing grade and stay in sports."**

**Sasuke felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach.**

"**What?" He numbly replied.**

"**Yeah, you heard me." Ino told him. "Sakura is **_**tutoring**_** Kiba. Not cheating on you with him. God Sasuke! I can't believe you actually thought she would cheat on you! She's been in love with you since middle school!**

"**If she's just tutoring Kiba, then why the hell didn't she just tell me?"**

"**Because Kiba convinced her not to! You're captain of the goddamn baseball team and you require all members of the team to hold at least a 3.0 GPA, all B's in core classes. Kiba has a 2.5 GPA because he has a below average grade in physics. So to keep you from suspending Konoha High's best first baseman, Kurenai-sensei agreed to keep his grade hush-hush if he were to be tutored by **_**your**_** science-genius girlfriend and ace the three extra-credit, and extra difficult, tests in the next three weeks **_**on top **_**of still doing all the homework and normal tests. Kiba's been secretly busting his ass with Sakura's so you could keep your winning team, you dumb baboon!"**

**Sasuke stared at Ino, completely dumbfounded. How could he be so **_**stupid**_**? He couldn't believe his idiocy. Of all things, Sasuke wouldn't have even thought of Kiba needing tutoring. Because he required his team to hold a B average, he never assumed grades would be an issue.**

'_**I'm such a fucking idiot.'**_** He told himself. Without another thought (or word, from Ino), Sasuke made his exit. Ino smirked at his departure. She knew he would make his way to Sakura's house and make amends. She then would hear about it from Sakura later that night. She suspected that Sakura would first yell at her, for meddling, but then thank her for the same reason. Ino would then demand that Sakura treat her to a mani/pedi as a thank you and everything would be back to normal.**

**And that's exactly how it went.**

**End flashback.**

"Sasuke!" Ino exclaimed while hopping up and giving him a hug that he hesitantly returned. "Oh my god, how are you? What on earth are you doing here in Suna? And is this your daughter? Oh my god, she's a spitting image of you!"

"Let the man answer, Ino!" Sakura scolded. Ino laughed and sat back down, waving a dismissing hand at the pinkette.

"This is my daughter, Mikoto." Sasuke then introduced. Mikoto smiled and held her hand out to Ino, who took it and shook. "And we came to Suna on some business." He took a glance at Sakura, who seemed to get the message: Mikoto's condition isn't to be discussed with non-doctors. But Sakura smiled and verbally answered.

"I was just about to tell Ino that you two stopped by my office earlier today."

"Jeez, Sakura, the one day I decide to take off of work and Uchiha Sasuke visits after not seeing him for a decade and a half!"

'_Day off of work?'_ Sasuke mentally questioned. "You work at the hospital?" he asked. Ino nodded.

"I'm one of the top neurosurgeons and head of the psych ward!" she happily gloated. Sakura clicked her tongue.

"Thanks to me, of course." She playfully commented. Ino rolled her eyes.

"Shut up forehead."

Sakura laughed and looked at Sasuke, who gave a small nod. If Sakura trusted and worked with Ino, then so would he. Though, he wasn't too sure what a neurosurgeon/psychiatrist could contribute to Mikoto's condition… but he trusted Sakura and her judgment.

"Dad," Mikoto called, bringing the patriarch out of his thoughts. "our plane leaves in 45 minutes."

"Ah." Sasuke replied. "It was nice seeing you Ino." He brought his attention to his daughter's new doctor. "Keep in touch, Sakura." And with that said, the two Uchihas left.

"OH MY GOD, THAT WAS SASUKE." Ino immediately gushed. Sakura gave her a 'well, no shit 'look, which was ignored. "He looks so good! Do you think he's single?"

"Ino!"

"What? You never know!"

"He's got a daughter, Pig. _And_, by the way, she's my patient. I was getting around to telling you that before you completely lost your damn mind."

"She's your patient? Why?"

"Mikoto has LAM."

"Come again?"

"Mikoto," Sakura repeated. "has LAM. She was diagnosed at birth."

"But…she's only, what 12? That's…how? Sakura, are you sure?"

Sakura nodded and began to explain the details she knew of Mikoto's condition. The blonde had hardly ate her lunch as she went into 'doctor mode', something Sakura did all too often.

"So what's the plan then?" Ino asked. Sakura shrugged.

"I still have to finish looking through her medical records…" she paused and bit her lip. "I…did I set myself up for failure, Ino? This is Sasuke's _daughter_. If I fail and she dies-"

"You're not going to fail, forehead. You're the best goddamn doctor out there. If there's anyone who can solve this case, it's you. So don't you dare start getting all doubtful on me. You're the best doctor of the age." Sakura smiled, remembering that she could always count on Ino to give her a confidence boost when she needed it. Ino was her rock. Always has been, and probably always will be.

"Thanks Pig."

* * *

"Damnit Teme, you can't just get up and fly out of the country in the middle of a project! We're partners! At least let me know next time!"

"I did let you know, dobe."

"Yeah,_ ten minutes before your flight took off._"

"I'll let you know twenty minutes before next time."

Uzumaki Naruto threw his hands up in defeat and let out an exasperated breathe, causing Sasuke to smirk. He knew nothing would go wrong for Naruto to need him, besides, he was gone for less than 48 hours. What could his blonde best friend possibly mess up in less than 48 hours?

"So where'd you go anyways?" Naruto asked as he plopped himself on Sasuke's couch, next to Hinata. Mikoto had already gone to sleep for the night when the married couple got there and Sasuke was having a cup of tea as he looked over some blue prints for his next project.

"Suna." Sasuke replied.

"Suna?" Hinata repeated, confused. Sasuke nodded.

"What'd you go to Suna for?" Naruto then asked. Sasuke took one last sip of his tea and placed it on the coffee table. He looked at Naruto and Hinata, unsure of how they would react once he made light of his reasons to visiting the country that was 4 hours away in flight.

"I went to see Sakura."

There was a sudden silence as Naruto and Hinata sat in shock. They hadn't heard from Sakura (or Ino, for that matter) in probably fiteen-sixteen years. The two girls had missed their wedding, Mikoto's birth, Hinata's miscarriage…

"How is she?" Hinata asked, breaking the silence.

"Good, it seems." Sasuke replied. "I didn't see her for too long. It wasn't a social visit."

"What did you see her for, then?" Naruto asked.

"She's a doctor, one of the world's finest. I went to her to see if she'd take Mikoto as her patient."

"Oh, Sasuke, you didn't." Hinata then said. If Sakura was anything like she was in high school, she would take Mikoto as her patient with no thought. But given Sasuke's and Sakura's past… she didn't think it was a good idea. If Sakura failed… it would destroy her. Mikoto's case was very special, and Hinata loved the girl like a daughter…but never would Hinata go to Sakura for help…because the weight of this patient would be far more than any other patient. If Mikoto were to die…Hinata questioned if Sasuke would blame and hate Sakura for failing. He loves Mikoto more than anything in the word. If he lost her…he would hate those who failed to save her, including himself.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his head. "I had no choice, Hinata. Mikoto's getting _worse_ and… Sakura's the best. I have full trust and confidence in her."

"But this is _Sakura_, Sasuke. She-" "You don't think I know that, Hinata?" Sasuke snapped. He sighed and muttered an apology upon Naruto's glare.

"I don't have any other option, literally. No one would take Mikoto's case. Sakura was a last resort. Last thing I wanted was to fly to another country and drop into my old high school girlfriend's office, asking her to take my daughter's rare case. I knew she wouldn't turn me down, because that's who she is. I know she'll be busting her ass to cure Mikoto from now on. I know it'll get complicated if she decided to move back here to focus on Mikoto and if she fai-" "woah woah woah, Sakura-chan is going to move back to Konoha?" Naruto interrupted. Sasuke shrugged.

"I can't take Mikoto and move over there. It would obstruct our work. No work means no money. No money means I can't afford Mikoto's medical bills. If something could be worked out, great. But I can't think of anything."

* * *

Sakura was sprawled on her bed, studying Mikoto's medical charts. She couldn't help but feel like she was back in college. She would take all that she needed to study, choose a setting and spread EVERYTHING out so she could easily pick it up and read it. Currently, all her paperwork took up the king-sized bed.

"I'm sure the last time you were this focused, it was for your MLE." _(author's note: MLE = Medical Licensing Exam)_

Sakura looked up and smiled. At the doorway stood her boyfriend of three years. They had met at an art gallery about four years back and after one year of being friends (and a drunk night), they realized their feelings and gave a relationship a shot. So far, Sakura was very happy.

"I have a very special case, so I need to make sure I know _everything_. It's imperative that..." Sakura drifted off from her sentence as she picked up another piece of paper and reading its contents.

"So I take it you forgot about our date tonight, then?" Gaara replied while in their walk-in closet. Sakura gasped and placed down the papers. She glanced at her cellphone; she had several mixed text messages and phone calls.

"Oh I'm such a terrible girlfriend!" she exclaimed slapping her hands over her eyes and throwing herself back. "I'm so sorry Gaara! I completely forgot! I just got caught up with this case and-" Gaara held up his hands to cease Sakura's rambling.

"This isn't the first time you've stood me up, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last. But I must say…" Gaara paused and chuckled. "I had hoped that today would be a day you _wouldn't_ leave me at the table for a few hours."

Sakura sadly smiled, feeling ultimately grateful to have Gaara in her life. He always understood when it came to her work and never got angry with her when she would accidently keep him waiting at dinner tables.

"But just because you stood me up, doesn't mean I'm not going to do what I originally intending to do." Gaara then stated. Sakura tilted her head in confusing and watched her boyfriend walk towards her. He stood at the side of the bed, staring down at her for a brief moment, before taking her hands and kneeling on one knee.

Sakura then felt her heart skip a beat, suddenly realizing just what was happening.

"Haruno Sakura, will you marry me?"

* * *

**Author's Note: And boom. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm having a much easier time writing this story compared to my other one...yeah. Anyway, review please! Much appreciated.**

**- Stone.**

**PS: sorry for any mistakes or anything. if you find something, let me know. thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF CHAPTER, PLEASE BE SURE TO READ IT, THANK YOU.**

* * *

"What?"

Sakura bit her lip. She knew she was asking for _a lot_, but with all that's happened in the past three days, a decision needed to be made.

"I know it's sudden, and I know I can't expect…It's sudden…but…" she sighed in frustration. Not even twenty-four hours after Gaara proposed, she received a call from Naruto. Though it was the first time she had heard from him in nearly twenty years, he was not the bearer of good news.

Mikoto had woken up at about four in the morning, screaming and clutching her head. She was rushed to the ER and then rushed into surgery. One of her lungs partially collapsed and the accumulating lack of oxygen caused fluid to build up in her brain. The pain she had felt in her head was pressure from the fluif.

After a few hours, doctors were able to remove all the fluid from her head and lung that originally caused it to partially collapse. But while in surgery, Naruto had called Sakura on Sasuke's behalf. It was then when Sakura made a decision. She didn't even think twice, she knew it had to be done.

"Sudden? Sakura, that's a whole other _country_. How could you just make up this decision without telling me anything?"

"It's not like I've known this was going to happen, Gaara! I've only decided this less than two days ago. My patient, she is getting worse and I can't treat her if she's in Konoha and I'm here!"

"Then why can't she just move here? Why do _you_ have to be the one to move?"

"Her whole life is in Konoha!"

"And your life is here in Suna!"

Sakura and Gaara were at a stalemate. But whether Gaara liked it or not, Sakura was leaving to Konoha to treat Mikoto. She took this case and given its severity, Sakura couldn't afford to stay in Suna. Sasuke entrusted her to treat his daughter and goddamnit, she was going to do it.

"Gaara, my patient is twelve years old. She's already got a crazy unheard-of diagnosis. I'm not going to make her life worse by requiring her to move to another country. I want to keep her where she is most comfortable and make things less difficult."

"What did Ino say about all of this? Moving to Konoha, I mean." Gaara then asked as he sat on the couch in the living room. He suspected that he was going to lose this argument, whether he liked it or not. He never had the heart to get in the way of Sakura's work.

"She's coming with me."

"And what about living preparations? Just where are you going to stay? It takes time to get an apartment, Sakura."

Sakura smiled. "Your sister does know how to work her magic." She sat next to Gaara on the couch and grabbed his hand. "I know we just got engaged. And so that's why I'm asking you to come with me. I don't want to make it seem like I'm running away because _I'm not_. But I can't let my patient down. She is important to many people and if I have to move to treat her so she could have a fighting chance, I'm going to do it." Gaara sighed and nodded, understanding. He wouldn't want to be the reason that kept Sakura from treating her patient. He wouldn't want her patient to die if he could provide a fighting chance.

"Okay." he told her. Sakura smiled and immediately hugged him. Gaara chucked and hugged her back before pulling her off him. "But I can't go with you right away. I have my art exhibit in four weeks and there's still a lot of work left. So while you're in Konoha, I'll take care of the apartment, put things in storage, and contact Temari for the best realtor here to put this place up for rent. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." Sakura replied with the biggest smile. She planted a kiss on Gaara's lips, which he graciously accepted.

* * *

"So Sakura-chan is moving back to Konoha, with Ino?" Naruto asked once more. He and Neji were gathered in Sasuke's home office with Sasuke sitting at his desk. Hinata and Tenten (Neji's wife) had taken Mikoto on a "girl's day out". Sasuke was hesitant to have Mikoto leave the house after just coming out of surgery. He wanted her home and to rest, but his tenacious daughter refused to stay home. She grabbed her oxygen tank (something she was _just_ given, due to the fluid buildup and lack of oxygen), and the three went to who-knows-where.

Sasuke had to hand it to his daughter; she refused to live a life centered on her illness. When she wasn't in the hospital, she made it a point to go out and do normal things. And though it was hard for him to be the one to do that with her (due to work, or because he was always worrying about her current state), he could always count on Hinata and Tenten to be the women she needed in her life. He wondered if Sakura would become just as important to Mikoto as Hinata and Tenten…

The Uchiha patriarch shook his head of the random thought. Sakura Haruno was Mikoto's doctor. Mikoto wouldn't think of her in any other way and Sakura was professional. She was on the top doctor's in the world; she wouldn't get attached to her patient in any personal way.

But Sasuke still couldn't help but wonder…

"Teme?"

"Sorry, what?" Sasuke replied. Naruto and Neji glanced at each other before looking back to the single father.

"Sakura-chan, she's moving back?" Naruto asked again. Sasuke nodded.

"Yes, with Ino. She should be in Konoha in a few hours."

Naruto grinned widely and pumped a fist in the air. "CHYEAH! IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE OLD TIMES, EH TEME?!"

Just as Sasuke was going to respond, Neji beat him to the punch.

"It may not be, Naruto." He seriously said. "High school was nearly two decades ago. A lot has changed since then." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Neji is right. Besides, with Mikoto being Sakura's patient, I'm not too sure she will be allowed to…" Sasuke paused, searching for the right term. "'rekindle' old bonds."

"Eh?" Naruto replied. "What do you mean? She can't be our friend agin?"

"Sakura came back to Konoha first and foremost as a doctor. In order to stay level-headed, Sakura may have to limit her ability to socialize with us. If she becomes too emotionally involved, who knows what could happen."

"What?! That's ridiculous! Sakura-chan can handle being our friend again and taking care of Miko-chan!"

"We don't know that, Naruto. We have to be careful." Neji replied. Naruto frowned.

"And what do you mean by 'careful'? Are we going to pretend that we have absolutely no past with Sakura-chan? Pretend that she's only a doctor and nothing more? Are we going to keep her at arm's length? If that's the case, you can count me out. I won't do that to Sakura-chan. I'm not going to treat her like we were never friends. And Hinata-chan won't do that either." Completely frustrated, Naruto stormed out the room and slammed the door, leaving Neji and Sasuke to further discuss the situation at hand.

"Maybe Naruto has a point." Neji then said. Sasuke arched an eyebrow, a little surprised that he was agreeing with the brother-in-law he loved to hate and hated to love.

"Explain." Sasuke replied.

"Doctor or not, we all do have a very long history with Sakura-san. Do you really expect us, the girls mostly, to act like we don't know each other?"

"She's Mikoto's doctor, Neji. I don't want her to get overwhelmed with pressure. She's most likely already under a lot of pressure for the sheer fact that Mikoto is _my_ daughter."

"Is that why you didn't seek her help sooner?"

_Yes_. Sasuke mentally answered. It was true; Sasuke didn't seek out Sakura's help because he didn't want to place an enormous amount of pressure upon her. He figured he could get help from other doctors, but when Mikoto continued to get worse, and when doctors began to reject her as a patient (due to no progress), he had no choice but to go to Sakura.

Sasuke didn't want to burden Sakura with Mikoto's illness. He knew she would devote herself to trying to find a cure and though it would kill him if he were to fail…it would kill her too.

So when he had no choice but to go to Sakura, Sasuke made the decision that he would keep it strictly professional and wouldn't see her on any social terms. He didn't want her to develop a relationship with Mikoto. It might make Sakura feel more obligated to help than she already feels.

"I cannot keep Tenten away from Sakura and Ino. And Naruto will not do so to Hinata either." Neji then said. "And to ask your friends to do that, to stay away from them on all terms that are not deemed professional, is asking a lot. And I firmly believe that absolutely no one will listen to you." Neji paused and walked to the door, turning to Sasuke once more. "Bonds aren't a burden, Sasuke. And Sakura is much stronger and smarter than you are giving her credit for. Let her call the shots on if she wants to rekindle her bonds with us. If anyone knows the pressures of Mikoto's case, it's you. Had it not been for the bonds you share with Naruto and the rest of us, you would still be in a very dark, lonely place. Don't isolate Sakura and let her get there."

* * *

"**SAKURA-CHYAAAAAAANNNN!"**

"Naruto! You're so goddamn loud!"

"Naruto-kun, you mustn't be so loud!"

Regardless to what his wife and sister-in-law told him, Uzumaki Naruto screamed again as he watched a familiar pinkette (and blonde) walk off their small plane, and made their way to the terminal entrance. They couldn't hear him, of course, but Naruto was determined to be the loudest person in Konoha Airport.

"Your husband is a numbskull." Tenten told Hinata as she rolled her eyes. Hinata giggled and nodded.

"Yes, but if is forever my numbskull."

"**SAKURA-CHAN, SAKURA-CHAN! LOOK HINATA-CHAN, IT'S SAKURA-CHAN! HI HINATA-CHA-**wait… **I MEAN, HI SAKURA-CHAN!"**

"Why must Naruto-oji be so loud?"

Tenten and Hinata looked down to Mikoto and smiled.

"He's just excited, is all." Tenten replied. "He hasn't seen Sakura and Ino for a very very long time."

"You see, Naruto-kun and your father were very close to Sakura-san. I mean, we were all close, but Sakura-san had a very strong bond with Naruto-kun and your father. Aside from Ino-san, Sakura-san's longest friends are Naruto-kun and your father."

"But then, I don't get it. If they had strong bonds, how come they haven't talked or seen each other for so many years?"

And that was a million dollar question. Hinata and Tenten had to admit, they weren't too sure why or even how they all lost contact with Sakura and very soon after high school, too. They all supposed she just got busy with school, because out of everyone, she had the most complicated majors. Sakura was double majoring in biochemistry and microbiology. But what was most shocking was that even though Sakura lost contact with everyone else, she never lost it with Ino and Ino let everyone assume that she did. So when Ino was majoring in psychology and biology, she blindsided everyone when she said she was leaving the country for medical school. Turns out she went to school with Sakura and she's never been back to Konoha since. The girls couldn't help but wonder how her parents felt about that…

"Medical school is very demanding, Miko-chan." Tenten replied. "And Sakura had decided to make her life even more hectic by taking up very complicated studies before medical school. She was also in a different country, so it's only natural that she lost contact with them. Everyone was starting their life, it got very difficult to keep contact and all contact gradually stopped. We weren't dropped off the face of the earth; we all just started living our lives. It's sad, but it's expected."

"But Sakura-san and Ino-san will always be very important to us, no matter the time with no contact, or the distance between us. We've all known each other for so many years."

Mikoto smiled and nodded; she couldn't help but feel a bit of pride swell up in her. Even though her sickness was killing her, it seemed to have brought two very important characters back into the lives of her father and everyone she loved so dearly.

Maybe this sickness wasn't completely bad after all…

* * *

**Author's Note: So I've got a proposition for y'all. I know my updates are often unscheduled and have absolutely no consistency what so ever, and I'm willing to change that, but I would like to know which you prefer...**

**What say you if I updated once a month but spent the entire month writing a lengthy chapter?**

**OR**

**I could try to update twice a month (during the second and fourth week of the month), but the chapters would be shorter (around the size of this chapter, give or take)**

**I cannot manage to update more than this in a month because of my school schedule. So work with me and I shall work with you :)**

**Please let me know your answer in a review (and while you're at it, review the chapter ;D)**

**- Stone.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Haruno-san! Yamanaka-san! How was your flight?" Sakura smiled sadly at Mikoto as she wheeled her new oxygen tank to greet the two of them. It was just a few days ago when Mikoto seemed all too fine with her health. Now here she was, just out of surgery, and carrying an oxygen tank on wheels…

"Mikoto-chan, I may be your doctor, but I am also your friend. Please, call me-" "SAKURA-CHYAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!" Sakura immediately felt herself pulled into the biggest hug of her life. Had there not been a loud announcement of her name and the strong smell of ramen, she would have thought she was being kidnapped. _'This baka! I CAN'T BREATHE!'_

"N-…Nar-…Naruto! I ca-..n't bre-…!"

"Baka! Let her go or she'll pass out!"

"Yeah Naruto-oji! Haruno-san is my doctor! How is she supposed to treat me if you suffocate her to death!"

"Huh?" Naruto replied. He looked down at the pinkette in his embrace and noticed that she was turning slightly blue. "Eh, Sakura-chan, are you sick? You're turning blue-OW!" Naruto dropped Sakura to the floor and gripped his lower abdomen in pain. As Ino helped Sakura off the floor, she laughed.

"That's what you get you baka!"

"Ne, Sakura-chan, that hurt!"

"Well you shouldn't have suffocated me, baka!"

"What did you do, Haruno-san?" Mikoto asked. Sakura smiled evilly.

"Hit a pressure point in his bowels. He should be feeling the full results in about-""KAMI-SAMA!""—now." Naruto ran off to the nearest bathroom, leaving Ino and Sakura to laugh.

"What…" Tenten asked

"Did…" Mikoto continued

"You do?" Hinata concluded.

"Forehead here," Ino replied while pointing to her best friend. "hit a pressure point on his intestines. Think of it as an emergency release button. So Naruto's gonna be in the lou for quite some time."

"Well, I guess that would help him out, he's been having a few issues in the restroom for the past week or so." Hinata absently commented. Mikoto immediately started laughing.

"Naruto-oji is _constipated_?!" she asked in a fit of laughter. Hinata, who started to laugh at what she just said, nodded.

"I believe he's had a bit too much ramen lately."

"But, don't you cook his meals, Hina-chan?" Tenten asked.

"I do," Hinata assured. "but he still eats ramen, such as for snacks in between each meal. I suppose this is partially my fault, I keep buying the ramen when I go to the grocery."

"Maybe you should just limit him to one a day, Hinata-chan. At least three ramen cups a day is a bit excessive and the amount of sodium is very unhealthy." Sakura instructed, unable to keep the doctor in her from rising on her old friend. Hinata nodded in agreement before smiling and launching herself onto Sakura for a big hug.

"I'm so happy you're here, Sakura-chan! It has been far too long!" Sakura agreed and returned the hug. Hinata then let go of her and pulled Ino into a huge hug, claiming that they all had much to catch up on. Sakura smiled and hugged Tenten, who graciously returned.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, noticing something, and she pulled Tenten from her. She stared down at Tenten's stomach. "Tenten you're pregnant!"

"EH?! How do you know?! I haven't even told Neji yet!" Sakura laughed and shook her head. She had a knack for this kind of thing. It wasn't something learned in medical school, it was just something Sakura could always tell.

"Oh Tenten, congratulations!" Ino said before pulling her into a hug. Hinata smiled and also gave her friend a congratulatory hug.

"You call me immediately after you tell Neji, okay? I would like to know his reaction to such news!" Hinata told the brunette. Tenten nodded in return and all the girls walked off to baggage claim to get the rest of Sakura and Ino's bags before leaving the airport.

* * *

A blonde walked to terminal 6, rubbing his stomach. He didn't know what Sakura had done to him, but whatever it was, it made him _go_.

"Eh?" Naruto let out as he looked around. "Hinata-chan?" He called out. No answer. "Sakura-chan? Miko-chan?" Still no answer. He scratched his head. He couldn't have been in the bathroom _that_ long, could he? He went to the window and looked outside. He heart stopped as he caught glimpse of Tenten driving her car out of the airport driveway with Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Mikoto. "MATTE! TENTEN! DON'T LEAVE MEEE!"

* * *

**Author's Note: I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I'M SO SORRY I'M RUBBISH I KNOW**

**When I said about updating twice a month or once a month, I kind of forgot I had midterms within the next week. BUT NOW EVERYTHING IS DONE! Until finals, that is.**

**Anyway, I know this is RIDICULOUSLY short but I wanted to give you _something_ and let you know that this weekend (starting on Friday) I'm going to write the next chapter and it WILL (WWWIIIILLLLL) be uploaded by Sunday night or Monday morning. It will be much longer than this one!**

**So once again, I'm sorry. The updating twice a month (what you requested) will be implemented starting November. Expect updates on the second and fourth week of the month from now on!**

**- Stone.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Well well well, if it isn't the return of my long lost student." Haruno Sakura smiled sheepishly as she closed the office door behind her.

"It's nice to see you too, shishou." She retorted. Tsunade snorted and rolled her eyes.

"So what brings you here, Sakura? Rumors say that you and Ino moved into an apartment here. I thought you were happy in Suna?"

"Uchiha Sasuke and his daughter came to visit me –""Sakura—""—and I've taken Mikoto as my patient. But my question is: why didn't you?" Tsunade pursed her lips together and looked away from her former student. A tense aura settled in the room causing Sakura to sigh.

Tsunade was like Sakura's mother. She was always there for the girl and even Sakura under her wing before she even started medical school. Tsunade had originally been her microbiology professor, but instantly picked up Sakura's intellect and knew she had potential. Tsunade, who was also the second head doctor at Suna General on top of being a part-time microbiology professor, gave Sakura special assignments and books to challenge her and keep her ahead of the curriculum offered at the college. With this, Sakura was able to graduate with her double major a full year and a half ahead of schedule and start medical school. While in medical school, Tsunade became Sakura's official mentor and opened many doors for Sakura, and even Ino. It was thanks to Tsunade that Ino was able to get into Suna Medical University. She had put in a good word for the Yamanaka and with that extra push; Ino was admitted within the next year.

But a year before Sakura was going to graduate, Tsunade was called to Konoha. Konoha General Hospital was losing money, patients, and workers. It needed a complete revamp, and Tsunade was the only one who could keep it from shutting down. So she left Suna, to take the permanent position as chief of medicine at Konoha General. Sakura loved Tsunade, and respected and trusted her with every fiber in her body.

"Magazines and articles claim that I'm the best doctor out there, which is why Sasuke came to me about his daughter. He thinks I am Mikoto's best chance at survival. But you and I both know that her best chance of living is you. So shishou, why didn't you take the case? I'm sure he came to you before he came to me." Tsunade sighed and rubbed her eyes.

It was true, Sasuke did come to Tsunade for help with Mikoto, and in all seriousness, Tsunade _had_ been helping with Mikoto. Doctors were constantly seeking her advice on Mikoto's condition and she was working right along with them for possible cures. Tsunade even had samples of Mikoto's blood and lung tissue in her lab, trying to find some sort of miracle. But she hadn't…she found nothing.

Tsunade was always horrible with gambling. She had the worst luck. And taking Mikoto as her patient was a gamble she wasn't willing to take. She was scared.

"I cannot take Mikoto as my patient," she said. "I've thought long and hard about it, but I can't. I'm willing to help any doctor who does take her case, but as for me, I'm not willing to risk it. I can't." Sakura nodded, seeing the truth in her shishou's words.

"Did you know that he was going to come to me?" she then asked. Tsunade smiled.

"I may have mentioned your name," she said. "in hopes that he would seek your help."

"Because if he did, you knew I'd agree, end up back here and we'd end up working together on this case…right? Was that your master plan?" Tsunade laughed in response. Sakura always saw through her plans. Yes, she had hoped that Sasuke would end up bringing Sakura back to Konoha. Though she was happily stationed in Suna, Suna didn't need Sakura. Konoha did.

"It'll be like old times," Tsunade said. "Teacher and student reunited once again."

"Eh? You sure the teacher hasn't become the student now, _Tsunade_-_sama_?" Sakura replied with an impish grin. Tsunade scoffed.

"Please. You may have been the top dog in Suna, and I may have taught you all that you know, but let me inform you that I didn't teach you all that _I know_." Sakura laughed.

"Oh I've missed you shishou."

"I've missed you too, Sakura." Tsunade happily replied. She then glared and frowned. "Now get out of my office, I have work to do."

"Hai, hai. Just make sure Shizune doesn't catch you drinking sake on the job."

* * *

Ino huffed as she walked down the grocery isle with a nearly full cart. She was happy that Temari had hooked her and Sakura up with a beautiful fully furnished apartment within such a short time, but would it have been _horribly_ bad if she had stocked the fridge and cabinets? There was not a scrap of food in the place! Now here she was, grocery shopping while Sakura went to pay Tsunade a visit. Not that she completely minded though. Once Ino was finished, she was going to go home, and take a nice long relaxing bath. After all, she deserved it.

"Oi! Watch it!" someone yelled. Ino jumped, completely startled. She had been so caught up thinking about her luxurious bath to come that she hadn't watched where she was going and hit someone with her nearly fully loaded cart.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed. The person turned around and gaped. Ino doing the same as she saw his face.

"KIBA?!""INO!?" they both yelled.

Sure enough, there he was. And _damn_ did he look good. Age had done him well. Ino immediately noticed the tonnage of his arms and the defined jaw line which was accented with his two red triangular tattoos. She had to admit, when he first got those in high school, she thought he looked like an idiot. But now… dare she say that she thought he looked much more attractive than Uchiha Sasuke?

She dared.

"Wow, Ino, long time no see!" Kiba exclaimed. "How have you been?"

"I've been good, Kiba! You? How's Akamaru?"

Ino could tell that she not only shocked Kiba with her question, but herself as well. Back in high school, the Yamanaka had a very… tense relationship with Akamaru. Meaning she wouldn't be within 10 feet of the beast and called him a dirty mutt when he splashed mud on her favorite pair of white jeans.

"He's doing good, causing trouble as always." Kiba replied. "And I'm doing good too. I'm a vet, you know. I took over my family's practice."

Before Ino knew it, she and Kiba were talking for twenty minutes and probably would have gone much longer if he didn't get a call from his work for an urgent matter.

"Here's my cell number," Kiba said while writing it down on what looked like his grocery list. "call me when you're free and we'll go grab lunch or something and catch up." Ino took the piece of paper, smiled and told him she would. He smiled and gave her a quick hug. "Well I'll see you around!" he said before grabbing his cart and rushing to the cashier at the front of the store.

Ino smiled and looked down at the piece of paper. She giggled. It _was _his grocery list. But aside from his list and cell phone number, Kiba had written down something else.

_You look more beautiful than you did in high school._

* * *

**Author's Note: HA! Got a new chapter in. Wasn't as long as I was hoping but I felt like this was a good place to stop aaaaand I have homework and my professor added a new assignment :(**

**Anywho, hoped you liked the chapter. t'was just a filler, but an important one for various reasons.**

**1. you get to see a big glimpse of the relationship between Tsunade and Sakura, which is important to the story.**

**2. you get to see a pairing in the making (yes, this is a Saku/Sasu, Naru/Hina, Nej/Ten, Ino/Kiba, and Shika/Tema story)**

**Next chapter will be a bit more exciting. Some teasers for you...**

**- Kiba and Ino chemistry**

**- Awk moments between Sakura and Sasuke**

**- Introduction of Shikamaru and Temari to the story**

**- Some Naru/Hina history (namely Hinata's miscarriage)**

**- Neji's reaction to Tenten's pregnancy**

**The chapter will be uploaded on November 10th/November 11th. It will be longer than this one.**

**Kay, I'm off to do homework now. Gross.**

**- Stone.**


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